- Barnabas Kiplimo won the 2025 Khon Kaen Marathon using carbon-plated sandals that were recently tested in Iten.
- Kiplimo is the first person in the history of Marathon running to win an official marathon using sandals.
- The Kenyan duo of Mercy Jemutai and Elizabeth Chepkanan Rumokol finished second and third in that order in the women’s category.
For many years, Kenyan athletes have dominated the competitive running field using shoes manufactured by leading firms such as Nike, Adidas and Asics.
The work of these athletes have been made easier by the innovations in the running shoe technology particularly the advancements in textiles and forms.
However, some of the athletes may soon shift to a new brand that has been developed by an Asian company after Kenyan speedster Barnabas Kiplimo made history in January, 2025.
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Kiplimo, who has used running shoes in his entire marathon career, became the first human being to win an official marathon wearing carbon-plated sandals.
He ran a brilliant race to clinch the Khon Kaen Marathon held in Thailand in a time of 2:18:55. The time was more than seven minutes faster than his personal best.
Kiplimo was followed by Ethiopian athletes Ebisa Kure Takele and Fekadu Tesfaye Degefa, who clocked 2:21:43 and 2:21:45 respectively.
In the women’s category, Degefa’s compatriot Tsega Desta Mehari triumphed ahead of Mercy Jemutai and Elizabeth Chepkanan Rumokol, who are both Kenyan citizens.
The performance by the experienced Kenyan athlete is expected to help the distinct brand grow in the near future.
According to the manufacturers of the novel brand, they recently launched a camp in Iten to test the sandals before they promote it at the upcoming Los Angeles Marathon.
“We are planning to launch a Kickstarter project in February with an updated version of the sandals,” read a statement from the firm.
According to the firm’s website, the price of the sandal is $169 (approximately Ksh 21,885 as per the current exchange rate).